
PKKSKNTFJ) BY 



/ 





THOMAS FOX 
OF CONCORD 

AND 

HIS DESCENDENTS 




BY 

WILLIAM F. FOX 

ALBANY 

J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS 

1909 



3 laf 






<5irt 

AuthoP 

17 Ap '09 



In compiling the genealogical notes contained 
in the following pages, the work was not 
prompted by any feeling of ancestral pride, 
but by a natural and proper desire to know^ 
who our progenitors were, no matter what their 
station in life may have been, rich or poor, 
whether persons of distinction or of humble life. 

The work was tmdertaken, more especially, 
for the purpose of determining the parentage 
of Daniel Fox of East Haddam, Conn., who 
died July 28, 1801, at West Stockbridge, Mass., 
in the seventy-ninth year of his age, and was 
buried in the cemetery near Richmond Furnace. 
The search starts with a statement made by one 
of his sons, Gabriel Ely Fox, from which it 
appears that Daniel was born in New London, 
Conn. ; that while a boy he went to the neighbor- 
ing parish of East Haddam, where he was ap- 
prenticed to Lieut. James Cone of that place, 
and that he had brothers, John and Isaac. 

Although there is no official record of Daniel's 
birth or parentage, the records of the other Fox 
families in New London and vicinity are so com- 
plete that, by a process of elimination, it became 



possible to assign Daniel to his proper place, 
and to the onlv one that would accord with 
certain accepted facts. 

In arriving at this conclusion I was assisted 
greatly by the intelligent, conscientious work 
done by Gen. Simeon M. Fox of Manhattan, 
Kansas, who is also a descendant of Thomas 
Fox of Concord,* and who has devoted much 
time and labor to the task of tracing out, or 
accounting for, the various male descendants 
of Thomas down to and including the fourth 
generation, to which Daniel Fox of East Haddam 
belonged. General Fox has also kindly written 
the introductory pages of the following genealogy. 

It was not expected that the records would 
reveal anything conducive to family pride — 
the w^ork was not undertaken with any such 
purpose. At the same time nothing was dis- 
closed that might be deemed discreditable. 
Neither is it expected that these pages will offer 
anything readable or interesting, consisting as 
they do of a mere mass of dates and statistical 
notes. But these documentary transcripts and 
figures were all necessary in accounting for each 
of the other descendants of Thomas Fox of 
Concord down to a certain period in order to 
prove that Daniel Fox of East Haddam, my 

* Thomas^ Fox of Concord, Mass., Isaac^ of Medford, Eben- 
ezer,3 Ebenezer,* Jr., Moses, ^ Dana,^ Simeon.'' 



ancestor, could not have belonged to any other 

family than the one to which he is here assigned. 

These notes and memoranda are therefore 

submitted as an argument rather than a formal 

genealogy; and, as they were collected onl}^ 

through a voluminous correspondence lasting 

many years, they have been printed in order 

to preserve them in convenient form, and to 

avoid any necessity of doing this work a second 

time. 

WILLIAM FREEMAN FOX. 

Albany, N. Y., March i, 1909. 






Slljnmtia ^ox of Olottrorb, Mubb., mh ijfta 

^^BnnhnntB 



For more than a quarter of a century I have 
been searching among the records of New Eng- 
land in an endeavor to gather additional facts 
relating to the descendants of Thomas Fox of 
Concord, Mass. My own line of descent I had 
perfected long ago, but I desired a more com- 
plete knowledge of collateral lines. 

During my early search I found how little 
trust could be placed in the genealogies which 
are given in the local histories of many New 
England towns, and, also, that there were many 
slips in Savage's great " Genealogical Diction- 
ary." -Mr. Baker in his " History of Montville " 
makes a sad mix-up of the Foxes of New London. 
He gives the first wife of Thomas Fox of Concord, 
the founder of the family, as Rebecca French. 
This first wife is mentioned only as Rebecca; 
her family name is not known. The Rebecca 
French came into the family nearly a century 
later, as the wife of Thomas' Fox (Eliphalet^. 
Mr. Baker had failed to discover — a fact that 
had also escaped Miss Caulkins — that Isaac' 
Fox, the youngest son of Thomas of Concord, 



had come down with his family a Httle before 
1 700, and settled near his brothers, Samuel and 
John, and sister, Hannah Lester, in the " General 
Neck " a few miles south of New London vil- 
lage. In trying to account for this Isaac Fox 
and his family as the children of Samuel and 
John, Baker has helped to increase the confusion. 
Again, in relation to two Benjamin Foxes of 
the third generation — the Benjamin who dwelt 
in New London, and the Benjamin who dwelt in 
Colchester — the former has been with much 
persistency treated as the son of Samuel,^ and 
the latter as the son of John% when the New 
London records, as well as Hempstead's Diary, 
show beyond question that the reverse was the 
case. Mr. Baker has also given the wife of 
Samue? Fox the elder (so designated because he 
had a younger brother also named Samuel, who 
was known as Samuel Fox the younger), as 
Margaret Brintnall, doubtless basing his guess 
on the fact that a son, Ezekieh Fox, had named 
a son Brintnall. The fact is, however, that 
Samuel Fox the elder married Margaret, the 
daughter of Samuel Stebbins, March 25, 1703. 
The name " Brintnall " came into the family 
through the wife of Ezekiel,* she being Mehitable 
Lamson of Boston, and the maiden name of her 
mother being Mehitable Brintnall. I have men- 
tioned the above in hope that it will save some 

8 



Fox hunters the trouble and confusion that will 
result if they follow the false clues corrected 
here. 

The descendants of Daniel Fox of East Had- 
dam, Connecticut, have for many years searched 
diligently to trace his connection with the New 
London Fox families, but without satisfactory 
results. Although it was not my own line, 
I became interested in the puzzle and sought to 
solve it. I began the long and tedious process 
of elimination, and one by one have set aside 
the impossibles until I have proven, to my own 
satisfaction at least, that Daniel Fox of East 
Haddam was the son of Isaac^ Fox, and wife 
Mary Jones of Colchester. His line is duly 
traced out in the following pages. This process 
of elimination involved not only the New London 
Foxes but a search through the several other 
apparently distinct Fox families of Connecticut, 
a long and tedious study. It is difficult to set 
forth the many fine points of collateral proof 
that present themselves to the searcher and 
which lead him to his conclusions; for the cor- 
rectness of these conclusions cannot be as evi- 
dent to others as to him. 

In the study I have presented in the following 
pages, in a number of cases I have made no 
positive claim as to absolute correctness, and 
in these cases I have referred to them as tenta- 



tive conclusions. Uncertainty appears especially 
in the cases of Benjamirf Fox (Samuel-), and 
Jedediah^ Fox (Isaac,^ Samuel-) ; no probate 
record in either case has been yet found, nor did 
either appear to have left a record of his children. 
Certain fatherless Foxes of their respective 
periods, who seem to have no other available 
home, have been assigned to them rather than 
leave them as orphans out in the cold world. 

There are, doubtless, records hidden away in 
obscure places which would give additional 
light and make plain many doubtful points, 
if we could only find them. The old church 
records of the New Salem parish, which was 
organized about 1724, in Paugwonk, down in the 
southern part of Colchester — the part now the 
town of Salem — would doubtless greatly aid — 
but they were burned many years ago. It was 
in this parish that the Colchester Foxes dwelt, 
between the North parish of New London (now 
Montville) and East Haddam. The parish of 
Exeter, in the southern part of Lebanon, would 
doubtless also give light, but the early records 
of this parish are also lost. 

There were four distinct Fox families in Con- 
necticut between whom no blood relationship 
has been traced. 

There was an early Fox family in Windsor of 
whom but a meagre trace remains. The Taintor 



10 



line of Colchester reaches back into this family 
through Thomas Loomis. 

There was Richard Fox, born about 164 1, who 
came to Glastonbury and married Beriah, the 
daughter of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, and 
who has left a numerous posterity. 

Thomas* Fox, the great grandson of Thomas 
Fox of Cambridge, came down to Connecticut 
and settled in Woodstock. He married Mary 
(or Mercy) Lawrence of Killingly in 1729. He, 
too, has left descendants. 

And, fourth, the New London Fox families, 
the descendants of Thomas Fox of Concord. 

It is possible that Richard Fox of Glastonbury 
was of the old Windsor family. And it is not 
improbable that a relationship existed between 
Richard and the family of Thomas Fox of Con- 
cord, for in 1 71 7 Benoni^ (Eliphalet-), the 
grandson of Thomas Fox, sold out in Concord 
and came down into Connecticut and immedi- 
ately settled among the descendants of Richard 
in the east parish of Glastonbury. The induce- 
ment that led Benoni to chose this place in which 
to pass the rest of his days one would naturally 
guess to be a kinship with the other Foxes.* But 
who knows? 



* The Foxes who appear in Hartland just before the Revo- 
lutionary War were the sons of Ebenezer* Fox (Isaac^), who 
came up from East Haddam. 

II 



There was a Thomas Fox — apparently not of 
the Glastonbury families — who appears at 
Wethersfield, and marries there, November 6, 
1729, with Mary, the daughter of Thomas 
Boardman. It seems to me to be quite probable 
that this was Thomas^ Fox, son of Isaac,- born in 
1693, came to New London with his father, and 
in 1722 was admitted an inhabitant of Norwich, 
where his elder brother Isaac was then living. 
He does not appear further in any of the records 
in New London county and evidently removed 
elsewhere. He was living in 1735, for he is men- 
tioned in his father's will of that year. He 
seems to be an available husband for Mary 
Boardman, although he would be about thirty- 
five years old at the date of marriage. No other 
Thomas Fox has been found to suit the case, 
that is not otherwise accounted for. 

Thomas Fox of Concord seemed to have been 
a man who stood well among his neighbors; 
and he apparently had education above the 
average of the people around him. Although 
" feble & weake in body " he signed his will 
with his own hand, his name appearing neat and 
legible. We, his descendants, are to be con- 
gratulated that our first ancestor in America 
did not have to make his mark. 

It has been suggested that Thomas Fox of 
Concord was the son of his contemporary, 



12 



Thomas Fox of Cambridge. I do not think 
this is so, although I am sure that Thomas Fox 
of Cambridge was the elder. He was born about 
1608, and was, doubtless, the Thomas Fox made 
freeman in 1638. Thomas Fox of Concord was 
then the one made freeman in 1644, and was 
therefore born as early as 1623 (it was not until 
1645 that a man under twenty-one years of age 
could be made freeman) when Thomas Fox of 
Cambridge was but fifteen years old. It is 
probable that Thomas Fox of Concord was born 
as early as 1620; and that he married his first 
wife, Rebecca, labout 1641, or perhaps earlier. 
He was the brother-in-law of Eleazer Bateman 
and Moses Wheate. Eleazer Bateman doubtless 
married a sister of Hannah Brooks, Martha, 
who died in 1665. 

I hope that some day some one of the 
descendants of Thomas Fox of Concord, with 
money enough to indulge in luxuries, may be 
stirred to trace his English ancestry. An absurd 
line has been given him in Stiles's new history of 
Windsor, Conn., giving him left-handed royal 
descent, as a grandson of Sir Stephen Fox — and 
a son of Henry — and a brother of the statesman, 
Charles James Fox. If this is true, we have a 
case of a man who is older than his grandfather. 
Thomas Fox was a man older than Sir Stephen, 
and he had lived his span and been gathered to 

13 



his fathers ninety years before his alleged 
brother, Charles James Fox, was born. A little 
thing like chronology, however, should not be 
permitted to stand in the way when you want a 
royal ancestor. 

I submit this short study of the ancestors of 
Daniel Fox of East Haddam hoping that his 
descendants will find as much comfort in its 
pages as they do in the sturdy character of 
Daniel Fox himself, and in his patriotic sons 
whose revolutionary service would make a 
bright page in history. Many ancestors of 
Daniel Fox were soldiers in the French and In- 
dian war; and it is probable that many of the 
New London Fox family died in the armies of 
the different wars; and it was here that they 
disappeared rather than that they removed to 
other parts. 

I invite a correspondence with any descend- 
ant who has accumulated or possesses any items 
of family interest, or with any one who may 
wish for further light. 



Manhattan, Kansas. 



S. M. FOX, 






14 



Shnmaa J^ox of (Slonwth nnh sttmt of i^xB 

^tBtmhnntB 



Thomas* Fox of Concord, Mass., was an 
Englishman who emigrated to Am.erica prior to 
March, 1644, at which time he was elected a 
freeman of the Massachusetts Colony. His 
name appears on the rolls of the Concord church. 
According to one authority he came to America 
in 1630, in the train of Governor Cradock. 
Thomas of Concord was married twice. By 
his first wife, Rebecca, he had children: Mary% 
bom September 18, 1642, Elizabeth% born Sep- 
tember 18, 1642, twins; Eliphalet', born 1644. 

Rebecca, his first wife, died May 11, 1647. 

Thomas married for his second wife Hannah 
Brooks, daughter of Henry Brooks, of Woburn, 
Mass. They wete married December 13, 1647, 
and had children: Hannah, born September 25, 
1648; Thomas, born February 26, 1649-50; 
Samuel, born 1651; John, born about 1653; 
David, born about 1656; Isaac, born October 
17. 1657. 

It will be noted that the above assignment of 
children to the second wife of Thomas* Fox 

15 



of Concord, does not follow Savage, the genealo- 
gist, who made a manifest error in including a 
daughter Mary. 

Thomas' Fox died at Concord, Mass., April 
14, 1658. In his will, dated January 25, 1658, 
he makes his wife, Hannah, an executrix. This 
will names only the eldest son, Eliphalet, and 
his daughter, Elizabeth, although it speaks of 
others. It mentions also Uncle Thomas Brooks, 
who returned the inventory April 23, 1658. 

In signing his will, Thomas spells his name 
" ffoxe." His signature is accompanied by a 
seal displaying a coat of arms, which may 
have given rise to the tradition mentioned by 
some genealogists that he was a descendant of 
the Rev. John Ffoxe of England, author of the 
famous " Book of Martyrs," and who, in recog- 
nition of this work, received from his sovereign 
a royal grant, giving him the right to a coat of 
arms. 

There was another Thomas Fox who at one 
time lived in Concord, and wiio moved from 
there to Cambridge, Mass. He is always re- 
ferred to by genealogists as Thomas of Cam- 
bridge to distinguish him from Thomas of Con- 
cord. As both lived in Concord at one time, 
there is a tradition that they were cousins. 

Thomas of Cambridge was made a freeman 
in 1638 and a selectman in 1658. He was an 

16 



older man than Thomas of Concord. He was 
married three times, but " had no children ex- 
cept Jabez (born 1647, Harvard College, 1665) 
to bear up the uncertain traditional honor as- 
cribed to him of descent from the author of the 
Book of Martyrs." [Savage's New England 
Genealogies.] This Jabez Fox was a clergy- 
man; and his son, Rev. John Fox, and grand- 
son, ?Ion. Jabez Fox, were also graduates of 
Harvard. Thomas Fox of Cambridge died 
April 25, 1693, aged 85*. 



Mary^ Fox, daughter of Thomas of Concord, 
and twin sister of Elizabeth, was born Septem- 
ber 18, 1642, at Concord, Mass. She died the 
next month. 

Elizabeth- Fox, daughter of Thomas of Con- 
cord, was a twin sister of Mary. Savage, the 
genealogist, thinks that she is the Elizabeth 
Fox who was married October 3, 1665, to John 
Ball, of Watertown, as his second wife, his first 
wife having become insane and rendering a 
separation necessary. He had five children by 
first wife; and by Elizabeth he had a son, 

*For his descendants see volume "Descendants of Thomas 
Fox of Cambridge, Mass.," by N. M. Fox, Union Printing Co., 
St. Joseph, Mo., 1899. 

17 



Joseph, born March 12, 1670. John Ball moved 
to Lancaster, where he, with his wife and son 
Joseph, was killed by the Indians September 
10, 1675. 

Eliphalet- Fox, oldest son of Thomas of Con- 
cord, was born about 1644, and was made a free- 
man of the colony in 1690. He was married 
October 26, 1665, to Mary, daughter of George 
Wheeler, of Concord, by whom he had six chil- 
dren. She died February 24, 1679; ^^^ o^ Sep- 
tember 30, 1681, he married for his second wife 
Mary, widow of Isaac Hunt and daughter of 
John Stone, of Sudbury. Eliphalet had chil- 
dren: Thomas,^ Eliphalet,^ Samuel,^ Joshua,^ 
Benoni^ and Joshua^ (2d), all by his first wife. 
By his second wife he h^d two sons. [See Genea- 
logical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New 
England. By James Savage.,] Eliphalet^ Fox 
was the ancestor of the Massachusetts Foxes of 
Concord, Dracut, Littleton, Fitchburg, etc.> and 
of the descendants of Benoni^ Fox of Glaston- 
bury, Conn.* 

Hannah- Fox, daughter of Thomas* of Con- 
cord, was born February 26, 1650, at Concord, 
Mass. She married at New London, Conn., 
October i, 1668, Daniel Lester, son of Andrew 
Lester. 

*Among the sons and grandsons of Eliphalet^ Fox there was 
none by the name of Daniel. ' 

18 



Thomas- Fox, son of Thomas^ of Concord, 
was born February 26, 1650, at Concord, Mass. 
He is supposed to have died young. 

SamueP Fox, son of Thomas' of Concord, was 
born in Concord, Mass., in 165 1. He settled in 
New London, Conn., about 1675. He married 
there, March 30, 1676, Mary Lester, daughter of 
Andrew Lester. She was born in Gloucester, 
Mass., December 26, 1647. After this he con- 
tracted a second, third and fourth marriage. 
His second wife, Joanna, died in the epidemic 
of 1689. His third wife, whom he married in 
i6go, was Bathsheba — or Bathshua — Rogers, 
widow of Richard Smith. She died November 
3 , 1 7 1 1 . Bathsheba was born in Milford in 1650, 
and was the daughter of James Rogers, " the 
wealthiest man in the colony of New London 
after Governor Winthrop." Samuel's fourth 
wife, who survived him, was named Esther, and 
is mentioned in his will. She was probably the 
" Hester " Allen who was married to " Samuel 
Fox of New London," August 9, 1715. 

Samuel's name was added to the roll of the 
" First Church of Christ in New London," No- 
vember 20, 1681. The Patent of New London, 
issued in 1704, also contains his name. He was 
an extensive landholder, some of his land being 
situated at Great Neck, in the vicinity of New 
London. He also owned 500 acres in the North 

19 



Parish, now Montville, upon which he erected a 
sawmill and a gristmill. 

He died September 4, 1727, aged seventy-six 
years. His will, dated April 6, 1727, and ad- 
mitted to probate September 6th following, 
names his wife, Esther Fox ; and his son, Samuel, 
spoken of as his eldest son and called " Samuel 
Fox the elder;" and another son, whom he calls 
" Samuel Fox the younger;" also his sons, Isaac 
and Benjamin ; and his daughters, Elizabeth and 
Anna. This will also mentions his sons-in-law, 
James Smith and John Smith; the children of 
his " daughter-in-law (stepdaughter), Bath- 
shua Rogers, deceased; " the children of his 
daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Camp, deceased ; and 
his granddaughter, Elizabeth Piatt. 

He gives to his son, Samuel the elder, his 
lands in the North Parish, with the mills known 
as the Fox mills, and all his wearing apparel. 
He gives to his son, Samuel the younger, all 
his farming tools, and all his lands in Newbern, 
with Great Neck, subject to certain legacies 
which are to be paid to other children. He 
gives to his wife, Esther, a living out of the 
whole, and appoints as executors his son, 
Samuel, and " his friend," Timothy Green. 

Samuel- Fox, son of Thomas of Concord, had 
children: Abigail, Elizabeth, Anna, Samuel, 
Isaac, Benjamin and Samuel. Of these, Abi- 



/^ 



20 



gail, Elizabeth, Anna, and Samuel "the elder," 
were the children of Mary Lester, his first wife; 
Isaac and Benjamin were the children of Joanna, 
his second wife; and Samuel " the younger" 
was the son of Bathshua, his third wife. 

It was not unusual in that day to give the 
same name to two children b}^ a different 
mother; and the repetition is not always an 
indication that the first named had died before 
the birth of the other. 

Samuel and Bathsheba, after their marriage, 
became Seventh Day Baptists. Samuel was 
arraigned once for catching eels on Sunday, 
whereupon he said that he made no difference in 
days; and Bathsheba went " openly " to the 
meeting-house to proclaim that she had been 
doing servile work on their Sabbath. She was 
accompanied at this time by her brother, John 
Rogers, who interrupted the minister by pro- 
claiming that he had committed a similar 
offense. This John Rogers became the founder 
of the sect of Rogerenes. Samuel and Bathsheba 
seemed to have courted persecution and to have 
taken no pains to avoid the martyrdom which 
fell to their lot. Bathsheba's brother, James, 
was sentenced by the court to receive fifteen 
lashes and to pay a fine of 5 pounds for " re- 
baptizing " people. 



21 



The troubles and differences which SamueP 
Fox had with his neighbors appear to have re- 
sulted from his marriage with Bathsheba. Her 
father, James Rogers, and his children also, as 
early as 1676, attracted attention by their de- 
clared opposition to infant baptism, and Samuel 
evidently was a convert to their views. 

John^ Fox, son of Thomas^ Fox of Concord, 
was born about 1653 at Concord, Mass. He 
settled in New London, Conn., about 1675. He 
was married four times. His first marriage oc- 
curred June 28, 1678, when he wedded Sarah, 
daughter of Greenfield Larrabee. About 1690 
he married for his second wife Hannah Isbell, 
daughter of Robert Isbell and widow of Thomas 
Stedman ; third, he married, about 1707, Susanna, 
daughter of Ralph Parker and widow of Thomas 
Forster; she died April 3, 1718; and he married 
for his fourth wife, November 9, 1719, Mary, 
daughter of Daniel and Mary (Wells) Lester. 
She was a granddaughter of his sister, Hannah^ 
and over fifty years younger than her husband. 
[New England Weekly Journal, April 20, 1730.] 

In 1700, John united with others in a com- 
plaint to the General Court against the " elder 
of the Church of Christ in New London." The 
elder's party seems to have been the stronger, 
for they were all suspended from church privi- 
leges. The Patent of New London, 1704, con- 



22 



tains the name of John Fox ; his brother Samuel's 
name was added afterwards. /John- Fox died 
at New London in April, 1730. He must have 
been about seventy-five years old at his death. 
He had children: John, Jr., Sarah, Thomas, 
Jonathan, Benjamin and Hannah. 

The three first were children of Sarah Larra- 
bee; the others were the children of Hannah, 
his second wife. All these children died without 
issue except Benjamin. In a deed, dated in 
1 718, John Fox calls Benjamin " my only child 
which it hath pleased God to continue in the 
land of the living." This deed was for a farm 
in Montville, Conn., which he deeded to his son, 
Benjamin. 

David^ Fox, son of Thomas^ Fox of Concord, 
was born about 1656. His name appears on 
the tax list at Woburn, Mass., in 1677. He 
married L3^dia Jaquith at Woburn, January 10, 
1678, but the town records do not show that 
there were any children by this marriage. For 
his second wife he married, at sometime prior 
to 1694, Mary, a daughter of Samuel Hay ward 
(or Howard) of Maiden. They had a son, 
David, Jr., born September 7, 1794. It appears 
that David- Fox served in the Phipps Expedi- 
tion to Quebec in 1690, for in 1738 Eleazer Bate- 
man, calling himself a " kinsman of David Fox," 
was a claimant for his rights. 

23 



Isaac- Fox, youngest child of Thomas of Con- 
cord, was born in Concord, Mass., October 17, 
1657. He was married in Billerica, Mass., July 
18, 1678, to Abigail Osban, and settled in Med- 
ford, Mass., where his children were born. He 
lived there until 1693, or later, and then moved 
to New London, Conn., where he settled on a 
farm south of New London village, in the imme- 
diate neighborhood of his brothers, Samuel and 
John, and his sister, Hannah Lester. His wife, 
Abigail, died March 12, 1718, and he married a 
second time, September 4, 1720, with Elizabeth 
Beebe. By a deed, dated January 9, 1729-30, 
he gave the land for the first Baptist meeting 
house in New London*. His brother, Samuel, 
was one of the trustees. This house was given 
to the Seventh and First Day Baptists together, 
and they worshiped in it on different days. It 
stood on Fort Hill, and from its height and 
peculiar proportions was called the " Pepper 
Box." It was taken down in 1847. Isaac died 
in New London in 1735, aged about seventy- 
nine years. His w411, which describes him as 
" Isaac Fox, late of New London," is dated July 
I, 1 73 1, with a codicil dated March 24, 1734-5, 
and was admitted to probate May 15, 1735. It 
names his wife, Elizabeth Fox, and sons, Isaac, 

♦History of New London, Conn. By F. M. Caulkins. H. 
D. Utley. 1895. 

24 



John, Samuel, Ebenezer and Thomas; and his 
daughter, Abigail Davis. The executors ap- 
pointed were his son Samuel and Ensign Beebe 
of New London. Isaac' Fox had eight children 
by his first wife, all of whom were born while he 
was living at Medford, Mass. They were: John, 
born April lo, 1679; Isaac, born December 12, 
1680; Abigail, born March 11, 1682; Hannah, 
born November 15, 1683; John (2d), born April 
24, 1685 ; Samuel, born April 30, 1687 ; Ebenezer, 
born October 14, 1689; Thomas, born Novem- 
ber 10, 1693. 



Elizabeth^ Fox, daughter of Samue? Fox and 
Mary Lester, was baptized June 13, 1677. She 
married Frederick Platts of Killingsworth, 
about 1700; and on December 7, 17 13, she mar- 
ried her second husband, John Bailey. 

Hannah^ Fox, daughter of Samuel- Fox and 
Mary Lester, was born October 6, 1678, and 
was baptized December i, 1678. She is called 
Hannah in her baptismal record, and Anna in 
her father's will. 

SamueP Fox, oldest son of Samuel-, was bom 
in New London, Conn., April 24, 1681, and was 
baptized April 9, 1682. He married, March 25, 
1703, Margaret, daughter of Daniel and Bethia 

25 



(Comstock) Stebbins.* She was born Novem- 
ber 3, 1680; died October 4, 1752. Samuel mar- 
ried again, April 27, 1753, taking for his second 
wife Zipporah, the daughter of John Bolles. He 
settled on the land bequeathed to him by his 
father, which was situated in the north parish 
of New London, and in what is now known as 
the town of Montville. His father had built a 
sawmill and gristmill on the property, and the 
place became known as Fox's Mills. Samuel 
" the elder " was the first settler here, and is 
the ancestor of most of the Foxes of Montville. 
He lived on this farm until his death, which 
occurred February 12, 1754, in his seventy- 
third year, and was buried on the farm, a short 
distance from his house, in what is called the 
"Fox burying ground." This farm is still 
owned and occupied by his descendants. Samue? 
the elder and wife, Margaret, had children: 
Samuel. Bathshua, Margaret, Elizabeth, Con-, 
tent. Amy, Caron (or Keron), and Ezekiel. 

Isaac^ Fox, son of Samue? Fox of New Lon- 
don, was born in New London about 1683. He 
was Samuel's eldest son by his second wife, 
Joanna. Isaac was married, February 28,1 705- 
1706, by the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, to Mary, 

*Baker's History of Montville says that Samuel the elder 
married Margaret Brintnall, a manifest error as shown in the 
vital statistics of the town, recorded at that time. 

26 



daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Gamble) 
Jones. On September 4, 1732, he married Mary 
Reynolds, but separated from her not long after, 
and she was obliged to seek aid from the parish 
authorities.* Isaac moved into the neighbor- 
ing parish of Colchester in 1716, where his name 
appears on the early land records; but in 1734 
he returned to the north parish of New London. 
All of Isaac's children are clearly identified in 
the old land records, deeds and conveyances 
except Daniel, and his place in the family is 
plainly established by his age, known relation- 
ship to two of his brothers and the fact that 
he could not have belonged elsewhere in that 
generation. The children of Isaac^ Fox (son of 
SamueP Fox of New London) , and wife, Mary 
Jones, were: Samuel, Thomas, Isaac, Mary, 
Jedediah, John, Gershom, Gideon, Ann and 
Daniel. 

Benjamin^ Fox, son of SamueP Fox of New 
London, by his second wife, Joanna, was born 
in New London, Conn., about 1688. He was 
apprenticed to Joseph Beckwith of Lynn, and 
in 1709 was a soldier with his master on the 
Wood Creek Expedition. Joseph Beckwith died 
while on this service. The term of Benjamin's 
apprenticeship expired in the fall of 1709, and on 
December 15th of that year he — then called 

*Hempstead's Diary: p. 290, July 18, 1735. 

27 



"Benjamin Fox of Lyme" — bought 65 acres 
located in Colchester of Samuel Gilbert. This 
land lay in Paugwonk, the south part of Col- 
chester, which later became the town of Salem. 
It was near the place where his brother Isaac 
afterw^ard settled, and was but a few miles west 
of the north parish of New London, where his 
elder half-brother, Samuel, lived. On April 15, 
1 7 1 2 , Samuel Fox of New London made a deed 
of gift of 60 acres in Colchester to his " loving son, 
Benjamin Fox." Under the same date he made 
a deed of gift of land in the north parish of New 
London to his loving sons, Samuel Fox the 
elder and Isaac Fox. The youngest son, 
vSamuel the younger, had been provided for by 
a deed of gift by Samuel Fox and his wife, 
Bathshua, on December 27, 1703, when they 
conveyed " all our lands, meadows and housings 
lying in the General Neck ' ' to said Samuel Fox 
the younger, " when he shall become of age." 
> Benjamin^ Fox (Samuel^) sold the land in Col- 
r"- Chester, given him by his father, on October 22, 
1728, to Lieutenant James Harris; and on April 
3, 1730, Benjamin Fox "of Colchester" bought 
12 acres of land of Samuel Borden of Lyme 
"at a place commonly called ye northeast 
branch in ye bounds of Lyme." This is the last 
record of Benjamin Fox of Colchester found in 
New London county. His father, Samue?, died 

28 



September 4, 1727, and Benjamin had, doubt- 
less, received his diminished share of the estate, 
" my son, Benjamin Fox, and he to have only 
half so much as any of the Rest, considering 
that the one-half will with what he hath already 
given him by me be his full shares or Propor- 
tion." On December 31, 1711, Benjamin Fox 
was ' ' granted the liberty of setting up a saw mill 
on the long meadow brook," and on December 
31, 1 712, he was elected a way warden. But, 
on January 26, 1718, "the town abated Ben- 
jamin Fox's ministers and town rates," from 
which it would appear that he had left Col- 
chester before 17 18. Benjamin^ Fox (son of 
Samuel-), married Azubah Tuttle, April 13, 
1 710, at New Haven, Conn. They had children: 
Ebenezer, Mary, Samuel, Azubah, Jonathan, 
Amos, Benjamin and Mercy. 

SamueP Fox, son of SamueP of New London, 
and known as " Samuel the younger," was born 
in New London, Conn., about 169 1. He mar- 
ried Rachel Rogers, who was born in 1692. 
Samuel died July 15, 1745, " in an appopleptick 
fitt," according to Hempstead. The records of 
the probate court, district of New London, show 
that there was a division of the estate of 
" Samuel Fox, late of New' London," ordered 
by the court, August 19, 1746, on an applica- 

29 



tion of Rachel Fox, widow of deceased and ad- 
ministratrix on his estate, among widow and 
children as follows : 

£. s. d. 
Rachel Fox, widow, one-third. ... 252 14 3 
Jonathan, eldest son, double por- 
tion 126 7 2 

Hannah, wife of David Lester, 

single portion 63 3 7 

Samuel, single portion 63 3 7 

James, single portion 63 3 7 

Rachel, single portion ' 63 3 7 

Naomi, single portion 63 3 7 

Bathshua, single portion 63 3 7 

Samue? Fox " the younger" and Rachel 
Rogers had children: Jonathan, born October 
5, 1 71 5; Hannah, born May 4, 171 7; Samuel, 
born June 29, 17 19; James, born July 21, 1722; 
Rachel, born May 24, 1724; Naomi, born April 
30, 1 73 1 (married Ebenezer Rogers); Bathshua, 
born August 31, 1733 (married James Ryan). 

Benjamin^ Fox, son of John- Fox, ThomasS 
was born in New London, Conn., about 1680. 
He was married, February 25, 1707-8, to 
Naomi Rogers, who died October 28, 1725; and 
to his second wife, Susannah Daniels, January 
17, 1728. He died in 1746, aged about sixty- 
six years. His will, dated February 23, 1745- 
1746, was admitted to probate March 13, 1745- 
1746. It names his wife, Susannah, and his 

30 



sons, Thomas, Benjamin, Jesse, John, Daniel 
Stephen and Joseph; and his daughters, Sarah, 
Lydia Douglas, Lucy Thompson, Hannah, Mar- 
garet, Naomi and Tacy. Mention is also made 
of a son-in-law, David Lester.* His son, Ben- 
jamin Fox, Jr., is named as executor. An in- 
ventory, dated March 13, 1745-6, was filed. 
Benjamin^ Fox, son of John- Fox of New Lon- 
don, had five brothers and sisters, all of whom 
died without issue. In 17 18, his father deeded 
him a farm in Montville, Conn., in which deed 
his father refers to Benjamin as " my only child 
which it hath pleased God to continue in the 
land of the living." Benjamin settled on his 
farm, and some of his decendants are living in 
Montville now. 

Johrf Fox, Jr., first child of John- Fox of 
New London, was born Jime i, 1680. He was 
married, January 16, 1710-11, to Elizabeth 
Clark of New London. He died December 12, 
1 7 1 1 , leaving no children. 

Sarah^ Fox, daughter of John^ Fox of New 
London, was born in 1681. She died before 
1718. 

Thomas^ Fox, son of John- Fox of New Lon- 
don, was baptized April 9, 1682. He died prior 
to 1 718, leaving no children. 

*David Lester's wife was Rachel Fox, daughter of Benjamin*, 
John2. 

31 



Jonathan^ Fox, son of John^ Fox of New Lon- 
don, married Mary Daniels August 19, 1713. 
He died December i, 17 13, of an accidental gun- 
shot wound, having shot off his hand while 
" ordering " (putting in order) his gun. His 
widow married one Chapman, and died April 2, 
1727, having been blind a long time. [Hemp- 
stead's Diary, page 182.] 

Hannah^ Fox, daughter of John- Fox of New 
London, was baptized March 26, 1693. 

John^ Fox, first child of Isaac- Fox of Med- 
ford, was born April 10, 1679, ^^ Medford, Mass. 
He is supposed to have died young, for in 1685 
Isaac named his fifth child John. 

Isaac^ Fox, son of Isaac- of Medford, was 
born December 12, 1680, in Medford, Mass. He 
settled in Groton, Conn., and later in Norwich. 
He married at New London, April 21, 1707, 
Hannah Stark, daughter of John Stark. They 
had children: Abigail, born March 6, 1710; 
Hannah, born March 4, 1712; Sarah, born No- 
vember 6, 1714; Isaac, born August 4, 171 7; 
Martha, born May 12, 1720, Eliphalet, born 
March 23, 1723; Elizabeth, born July 21, 1725. 

Isaac, having moved to Norwich, Conn., 
was admitted an inhabitant in 1721, and died 
there January 27, 1728, in the forty-eighth year 
of his age. His widow, Hannah Fox, died Oc- 
tober 10, 1768. 

32 



AbigaiP Fox, daughter of Isaac- of Medford 
and Abigail Osban, was born in Medford, Mass., 
March ii, 1682. She married at New London, 
August 28, 1 701, Charles Hill, Jr. He died in 
1 710, and vShe married, second, July 9, 1720, 
William Davis, who died June 19, 1725. 

Hannah^ Fox, daughter of Isaac- of Medford, 
was born in Medford, Mass., November 15, 1683. 
She died there March 7, 1684-5, before her 
father moved to New London. 

John^ Fox, son of Isaac- of Medford, and 
second of the name among Isaac's children, was 
born April 24, 1685, in Medford, Mass. He 
moved to Groton, Conn., the village adjoining 
New London on the opposite side of the river^ 
While living there he married Elizabeth Bailey, 
daughter of John Bailey, December 25, 1707. 
They had children: Elizabeth, born November 
4, 1708; a son, born January 15, 17 10; 
Lydia, born December 31, 1714; James, Ex- 
perience, twins, born April 7, 17 19; William, 
born May 2, 1721; Joseph, born June 29, 1723; 
Abigail, Zerviah, twins, born March 29, 1726. 

This John^ Fox of Groton (son of Isaac-) 
moved from Groton to Norwich (Bosrah Parish) , 
and the land records show that in 1736 he 
bought ninety-one acres of land in Norwich of 
Gideon Dunham; and that in 1743 "John Fox 
of Norwich " deeded to his son James, 20 acres 

33 



of land at New Concord (Bozrah). In 1744, 
John Fox of Norwich deeded to his son WilHam, 
21 acres of " my farm in Norwich;" and in 1766, 
John Fox of Norv\^ich deeded to Joseph Fox of 
Norwich, 1 5 acres of " m^^farm at New Concord." 

Samue? Fox, son of Isaac^ of Medford, was 
born April 30, 1687, at Medford, Mass. He 
married Mary, daughter of John Fanning of 
Groton. Samuel lived in Groton, Conn., and 
later in Preston, after which he returned to 
Groton, where he died in 1752. His will, dated 
February 16, 1748-9, was admitted to probate 
April 14, 1752. This will names his wife, Mary, 
his eldest son, Samuel, his youngest son, John, 
and his daughter, Mary. His son Samuel was 
made sole executor. The inventory, also on 
file, dated May 12, 1752, amounts to ;^2 ,936: 14s. 

Ebenezer^ Fox, son of Isaac- Fox of Medford, 
was born October 14, 1689, at Medford, Mass. 
His home appears to have been in New London, 
Conn., from 1722 to 1732, after which he lived in 
East Haddam, Conn. He was married in New 
London by the Rev. Eliphalet Adams, March 25, 
1 719, to Jane Stedman, daughter of John Sted- 
man of New London. Ebenezer died in East 
Haddam, parish of Millington, prior to April 25, 
1752, for at that time his children, who were 
then living in Lyme and East Haddam, disposed 
of his property. Ebenezer Fox and Jane^Sted- 

34 



man had eight children, all of whom except one 
were baptized at New London. They were: 
David, Ebenezer, Jr., Zephaniah, Jane, Nathan, 
Elkanah, Hannah, and Joshua. The latter's 
name does not appear on the baptismal records 
of the New London Church. 

Thomas^ Fox, son of Isaac- of Medford, was 
born November lo, 1693, in Medford, Mass. 
He settled in Norwich, Conn., where he was ad- 
mitted an inhabitant in 1722. He moved to 
Colchester, and thence to East Haddam, where 
he died in 1763. His wife, Margaret, survived 
him. They had two children, Joseph and Ann. 
Joseph died before his father, leaving Catherine 
Fox as his only heir. The record of the distribu- 
tion of the property of Thomas Fox, on file in the 
office of the Judge of Probate, Colchester, Conn., 
speaks of Joseph as being the eldest and only 
son ; and of Ann as the only daughter. Ann was 
a married woman at the time of her father's 
death. 



Samuel* Fox, son of Samue? the elder, 
Samuel,^ Thomas,* was born about 1707. He 
married Abigail Harris, November 12, 1729. 
He died about 1785, his will having been admit- 
ted to probate on April 12th of that year. He 
had children: Margaret, Sarah, Abigail, Amy, 

35 



Delight, Anna, Elisha, Zoviah, Rachel, Alpheus, 
and Abigail. 

Margaret* Fox, daughter of Samue? the elder, 
Samuel,- was born April 21, 1709, in North 
Comstock. She married Nathaniel Comstock. 

Elizabeth'' Fox, daughter of Samue? the elder, 
Samuel,- married Isaac Avery. 

Bathshua* Fox, daughter of Samue? the elder, 
Samuel,- married Robert Chapman, September 
II, 1726. 

Caron* Fox, daughter of Samue? the elder, 
married John Allen, February 24, 1742-3. 

Ezekiel* Fox, son of Samue? the elder, was 
born about 1 7 2 1 . He married Mehitabel Lamson 
of Boston. He died March 20, 1800, in the 79th 
year of his age. His wife died June 20, 1776, 
aged 56 years. They had children: Mehitabel, 
Samuel, Brintnell, Margaret, Charlotte, and 
Ezekiel. 

Samuel" Fox, son of Isaac,^ Samuel,- was born 
about 1706. He married, April 27, 1724, Mary, 
daughter of Daniel Stebbins. He bought land in 
Paugwonk, the southern part of Colchester (now 
Salem), of Israel Dodge on September 14, 1726, 
and sold the same to James Harris on August 
9, 1729, his wife Mary joining with him in the 
deed. In " Hempstead's Diary," page 187, 
August 9, 1727, this Samuel is referred to as 
" Isaac's son." He was admitted to the church 

36 



in Millington, May 12, 1749. His younger 
brother, Daniel, subsequently joined the same 
church. In 1756 Samuel served in the French 
and Indian War as a soldier in Captain Edmond 
Wells's company. Samue? Fox, and MarySteb- 
bins, his wife, had children: Israel, William, 
Joel, Silas, Samuel, Asa, Ezekiel, Oliver, Win- 
throp, Amasa, and Naomi. 

Thomas* Fox, Isaac,^ Samuel,^ was born 
about 1 709. His wife's name was Margaret. He 
died before 1763, for in that year Abner Beebe, 
as his administrator, asked permission to sell 
real estate to pay his debts. On January 5, 
1728-9, Isaac^ Fox of Colchester makes a deed 
of gift to his son, Thomas Fox, of twenty acres of 
land in East Haddam, " east side of Eight Mile 
River, near L3^me bounds." Thomas sold this 
land to his " brother John Fox " on August 24, 
1 741, Thomas* and Margaret Fox had two 
children only: Joseph and Ann. 

Isaac* Fox, Isaac,^ Samuel,- was born about 
1708. His wife's name was Elizabeth. He 
bought land in East Haddam of William Bogue 
on June 13, 1729, and settled there. The land 
records of that parish show that he made other 
purchases of land. He sold his house and lands 
to Nathan Jewett in 1759 and moved to Camp- 
ton, N. H., in 1762. Isaac* Fox had children: 
Isaac, Lemuel, Elizabeth, Joel, Silas, Uriah, 

27 



and Uriah, second. Four of his sons served in 
the War of the Revolution. 

Mary^ Fox, daughter of Isaac,^ Samuel,- was 
married February ii, 1728-9 to Samuel Borden 
of Lyme. 

Jedidiah* Fox, son of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ was 
born March 16, 171 2, and his birth was recorded 
in New London, although in the same record 
his father is mentioned as " Isaac Fox of Nor- 
wich." In 1755 he bought land of David 
Gardner in Bozrah, where he died in 1785. He 
had two sons, Jacob and Jedediah. 

John"* Fox, son of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ was born 
about 1 713. He, recorded as "John Fox of 
Millington," married at New London, February 
24, 1742-3, his cousin, Jemima Rogers. She was 
a daughter of Adam Rogers and wife Catherine 
Jones, and was born January 27, 17 18. Cath- 
erine Jones was a sister of Mary Jones, mother 
of John* Fox. On October 16, 1734, Isaac^ Fox 
makes a deed of gift to his son John of land on 
Chestnut Hill, North Parish, New London. On 
August 20, 1740, John Fox buys land of his 
brother, Thomas Fox of East Haddam, and the 
records show that he made other purchases of 
real estate. There is no record of children born 
to John Fox at Millington. On April 16, 1759, 
he sold his homestead to Nathan Jewett and 
evidently removed elsewhere, for his name ap- 

38 



pears no more on the records of East Haddam, 
Colchester, etc. Daniel* Fox of East Haddam 
is said to have told his son Gabriel that one of his 
brothers went south. If correct, John was the one. 

Gershom* Fox, son of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ was 
born in Colchester December 23, 1716. He 
was of East Haddam on September 17, 1744, 
when he sold his land to Isaac Fox. He married 
Elizabeth Purple at East Haddam, September 
8, 1760. She died in Millington, November 13, 
1 81 5, " aged 72." He died in Millington, April 
5, 1804, "aged 80." Gershom had children: 
Mary,^ Darius,^ and Alice,^ and possibly others. 

Gideon* Fox, son of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ was born 
in Colchester, October 24, 1 719. He served in the 
French and Indian War at Lake George, 1758, 
in Capt. Henry Champion's company. During 
the War of the Revolution, in the spring of 1777, 
Gideon Fox, then in the fifty-eighth year of his 
age, enlisted for three years, but he died, Septem- 
ber II, 1777, while in the army. His son, Amos, 
was a soldier in the same company — Captain 
Shumway's. Gideon's sons, John and Jacob, also 
served in the War of the Revolution. Gideon's 
name appears in a memorial from Colchester, in 
1774, asking that the First Society of Colchester 
be made a distinct society. He had children: 
Gideon, Jr., John, Jacob, Lois, Amos, Ezekiel, 
Elizabeth 2d, Isaac, and Elijah. 

39 



Ann* Fox, daughter of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ died 
November 13, 1736. She is mentioned in the 
town records as " daughter of Isaac Fox." The 
church records say she was " maid to PhylHs 
Caverly. ' ' 

DANIEL* FOX, son of Isaac,=* Samuel,^' and 
Thomas* of Concord: See page 47. 

Ebenezer* Fox, eldest son of Benjamin,^ 
Samuel,^ was born November 25, 17 10. He was 
apprenticed by his father, " Benjamin Fox of 
New London," on September 22, 1719, to Peter 
Talman, cordwainer, of Guilford, " to learn his 
trade, art and mystery, to serve till twenty 
which will be on the 26th day of November, 
1730." After his indenture expired, Ebenezer 
settled in Wallingford, Conn. He had wife, 
Lidia, and a son Daniel, born January 15, 1736; 
a daughter Abigail, born March 22, 1737-8; and 
son Ebenezer, born August 10, 1740. 

Mary* Fox, daughter of Benjamin,^ Samuel,- 
was born about 171 2. vShe was married, Febru- 
ary II, 1728-9, to Samuel Borden, who lived one 
time at Hartland, Conn. 

Jonathan* Fox, son of Benjamin,^ Samuel,^ 
had wife Mary, and in 1738 was living in Lyme. 
A child was born to them that year, probably the 
Hannah Fox who was baptized at New London 
in 1 741 . He was the father, also, of the Jonathan 
Fox (born 1752) who was killed in battle in 

40 



lySi during Arnold's attack on New London. 
Jonathan Fox, the father, served in the French 
and Indian War, and in 1757 his name was borne 
on the rolls of Captain Adonijah Fitch's com- 
pany. 

Samuel* Fox, son of Benjamin,^ Samuel,^ was 
born in 1720, in New London, Conn. He 
served in 1762 as a soldier in Captain Timothy 
Northam's company, the descriptive roll .of 
which shows that he was 42 years old at date of 
muster. May 17, 1762. He was mustered at 
Albany, N. Y., he having been absent when 
his company originally mustered. Captain 
Timothy Northam was a resident of Colchester, 
Conn. 

Azubah^ Fox, daughter of Benjamin^ and 
Azubah Tuttle, was married, November 17, 

1742, to Nathaniel Hurlburt of Wethersfield, 
Conn. She joined the church at Wethersfield in 

1743. They had children: Nathaniel, born 1744; 
Luce, born 1747, Azubah, born 1750, and Mary, 
born 1752. 

Amos" Fox, son of Benjamin,^ Samuel,' mar- 
ried Deborah Minor and lived in Lyme, Conn. 
They had children: Hannah (born 1755), Elisha 
(born 1757), Mercy (born 1760), Amos (born 
1762), Timothy (born 1764), and Benjamin 
(born 1766). Amos* Fox served as a soldier, in 
1755, in Captain Robert Dennison's company; 

41 



in 1758, in Jonathan Lattimore's company; 
and in 1759, in Captain Nicholas Bishop's com- 
pany. 

Benjamin* Fox, son of Benjamin,^ Samuel,- 
was married, April 10, 1754, at Oxford, Conn., to 
Esther, daughter of Lieutenant John Chatfield. 
They had children: Comfort (born 1754), Huldah 
(born 1756), and Amos (born 1758). Benjamin 
was a soldier in Captain David Baldwin's com- 
pany, and died while in the army, September 
18, 1759. 

Mercy Fox, daughter of Benjamin,^ Samuel,^ 
was married August 15, 1751, to Benjamin 
Atwell of North Parish, New London, Conn. 

Samuel* Fox, son of SamueP the younger 
(Samuel-) and Rachel Rogers, was born June 
29, 1 7 19. He was non compos mentis, and died 
January 12, 1751-2,* unmarried. 

Jonathan* Fox, son of Samuel,^ the younger 
(Samue?) and Rachel Rogers, was born October 
5, 1 715. He was unmarried, of unsound mind, 
and died prior to 1784. 

James* Fox, son of Samuel,^ the younger 
(Samue?), and Rachel Rogers, was born July 
21, 1722. He was unmarried, of unsound mind, 
and died before 1753. 

* Where different years are given here for a date it means 
"Old Style" and "New Style" calendar. The change from the 
Julian to the Gregorian reckoning was not made in Great 
Britain until September, 1752. 

42 



Benjamin* Fox, son of Benjamin,' John,^ 
Thomas^ Fox of Concord, was born August 
29, 1 715. He married, November 7, 1745, 
Abigail Brockway, daughter of Mr. Richard 
Brockway, of Lyme, Conn. They had children : 
Elizabeth (born 1746), Lucy (born 1752), 
Samuel (born 1762), and Nathan (born 1766). 

Jesse* Fox, son of Benjamin,^ John,^ was 
married, October 10, 1744, to Abitha Chapman 
of New London. 

John* Fox, son of Benjamin,^ John,- was 
married, March 19, 1745-6, to Mary Pierce, 
daughter of Mr. William Pierce of South 
Kingston. Their daughter Mary was born Jan- 
uary 10, 1746-7. 

Sarah* Fox, daughter of Benjamin,' John,- 
was an apprenticed child, and the parish 
register of New London contains the following 
entry: "June 15, 1729, John Plumbe engaged 
for the education of an apprenticed child, 
daughter of Benjamin Fox, who was baptized 
Sarah. 

Daniel* Fox, son of Benjamin,' John,- was 
bom in 1734. In 1748 he was a minor, fourteen 
years of age, and chose William Main waring as 
his guardian. He had a daughter who married 
Asa Fitch Rodgers of Montville, Conn. This 
Daniel Fox evidently was not the Daniel Fox 

43 



of East Haddam who married Hannah Burr in 

1747- 

Isaac* Fox, son of Isaac,^ Isaac,^ was born 

at Norwich, August 4, 171 7. He married, April 

25, 1744, Deborah Johnson, who died January 14, 

1744-5. He married a second wife, Mehitabel 

Haskins, March 10, 1745-6. Isaac* Fox and 

Deborah Johnson had children : Deborah, Abiall, 

Hezekiah, Eunice, Hannah, Eunice 2d, Asa, 

and Amy, all born in Norwich. 

Samueh Fox, son of Samuel,^ Isaac,^ resided 
in Plainfield, Conn. He was born in Preston, 
Conn., June 15, 1724; married Prudence Turner. 

John* Fox, son of vSamuel,^ Isaac,' lived at 
Groton, Conn. He had children: Amos, William, 
Daniel, Samuel, James, and Asa. One of these 
sons, Daniel, born in Groton, March i, 17 71, 
lived to be 102 years, old. He died at Adams, 
Jefferson county, N. Y., where he was known as 
the "Centenarian Farmer." [See History of 
Jefferson County, N. Y., by Durant & Pierce. 
Lippincott: Phila., 1878.] 

David* Fox, son of Ebenezer,^ Isaac ,^ w^as 
baptized July 24, 1720. His wife's name was 
Mary. He lived in East Haddam, Conn., until 
1770, or later, when he moved to Hartland, 
Conn., where he died March, 1803. 

Ebenezer* Fox, son of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,^ was 
baptized July 24, 1721. He married in East 

44 



Haddam, September 8, 1748, Esther, daughter 
of Richard and Hannah (Spencer) Purple. He 
died February 16, 18 13. 

Zephaniah" Fox, son of Ebenezer,-^ Isaac,^ 
was baptized March 31, 1722-3. He married 
EHzabeth, daughter of Jacob Sawyer of Lyme. 
He dwelt in Lyme for a time, but evidently 
remioved elsewhere, and the whereabouts of him- 
self or children have not been traced. 

Jane* Fox, daughter of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,^ 
was baptized February 7, 1724-5. She married 
John Hudson of Lyme. 

Nathan'' Fox>, son of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,- was 
baptized June 25, 1727. He married January 1 1 , 
1758, Sarah Sanders of Lyme. He lived in Lyme, 
but died in East Haddam, January 16, 1773. 

Elkanah* Fox, son of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,^ was 
baptized July 26, 1730. He settled in Hartland, 
Conn., and died there in 1776. His wife (name 
not found) and son Elkanah died the same year. 

Hannah* Fox, daughter. of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,- 
was baptized September 10, 1732. She was 
living in East Haddam, April 25, 1752. 

Joshua* Fox, son of Ebenezer,^ Isaac,- was 
married in Millington, January 24, 1760, to 
Sarah Fox. She may have been the widow of 
JoeP Fox (Samuel,* Isaac,^ Samuel,- Thomas'), 

Stephen* Fox, son of Benjamin^ (John-') Fox 
and Susanna Daniels was born about 1736. He 

45 



> 



married, April 12, 1764, Jane Whipple. He died 
about 1775, and his widow married, November 
26, 1776, Daniel Roberts. His estate was dis- 
tributed, October 10, 1775. Two daughters 
mentioned: Naomi, eldest daughter; and Jenny, 
youngest daughter. 

Joseph* Fox, son of Benjamin^ (John^) Fox 
and Susanna Daniels was born about 1743. He 
married, June 16, 1772, Elizabeth, daughter of 
Samuel Coit. They had children: Elizabeth, 
born June 11, 1 773 ; and Joseph, born March 30, 
1775. Joseph Fox, Sr., enlisted in Captain 
Benjamin Troop's company, January 12, 1777; 
died October 4, 1788. This company was 
recruited in New London county. 

Eliphalet* Fox, son of Isaac% (Isaac-) was 
born March 23, 1723. He doubtless never 
married. He lived for a time in Franklin, but 
was called " of Norwich "in 1 789, when his will 
was probated. He mentions: brother Isaac Fox; 
and sisters Sarah, Martha, and Elizabeth Fox. 

James* Fox, son of John^ Fox (Isaac^), was 
born April 7, 1719. He married, first, March 
10, 1748, Anna Hide, who died March 20, 1749. 
They had a son, Simeon, born February 8, 
1748-9. James married a second wife, Grace 
Chapman, January 24, 1 750. They had children: 
Benjamin, Oliver, Anne, George, Molly, and 
Betty. On May 8, 1 764, the court appointed Silas 

46 



Hide of Norwich guardian to Simeon Fox, " son 
of heir Anna, wife of James Fox, late of Norwich, 
late removed to some foreign part, etc." 
. William* Fox, son of John^ Fox (Isaac-) was 
born May 2, 1721. He married, first, February 
23, 1744, Hannah Lyon. They had children: 
John, Esther, Allis, John, Sybil, Esther, Allis, 
Nehemiah and Keziah. His wife Hannah died 
November 10, 1778. For his second wife he 
married Jemima Spicer, September 8, 1779. He 
died before 1790; his wife Jemima died in 181 5. 

Joseph* Fox, son of John^ Fox (Isaac-) was 
bom June 29, 1723. He married, October 13, 
1746, Hannah Crocker. They had children: 
Jabez, Roswell, Jesse, David, Hannah, Ruth, 
Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary. 

DANIEL* FOX of East Haddam, Isaac,^ 
Samuel,^ Thomas,' was the youngest son of Isaac 
Fox who lived at New London and at Colchester, 
Conn., the grandson of Samuel Fox of New 
London, and the great grandson of Thomas Fox 
of Concord, Mass. Daniel was born in New Lon- 
don in 1722. In accordance with the custom of 
those days he was apprenticed at an early age, 
and went to the adjoining town of East Haddam 
where he was bound out to Lieutenant James 
Cone of that place " to tan and shoe make." 
It is known, also, that he had two brothers, 
John and Isaac, one of whom went south and 

47 



settled there. These facts, indicating that he 
was a son^^of Isaac Fox of New London, were 
furnished by his son Gabriel in a conversation 
with Rev. Norman Fox of Ballston Spa, N. Y., 
who made a written memorandum at that time 
of such information as Gabriel could give re- 
garding his ancestry. 

Daniel* Fox of East Haddam married, Oc- 
tober lo, 1747, Hannah, daughter of Jonathan 
and Abigail (Hubbard) Burr of East Haddam. 
She died August 17, 1761, and he married for 
his second wife, November 12, 1761, Elizabeth, 
daughter of David and Hannah (Ackley) Gates. 
By his first wife he had children: 

Sibyl, born July 3, 1749, and baptized May 27, 
1750. She married Joseph Rowley, and lived in 
Richmond, Berkshire county, Mass. 

Reuben, born July 8, 1751, and baptized 
April 19, 1752. He married Hannah Williams, 
and lived at Cornwall, Litchfield county. Conn. 
In 1778, he, with Daniel Rexford, askedtobe set 
apart from Society of Cornwall to Society of 
East Greenwich, Kent. Reuben'^ Fox (Daniel*) 
had children: Charles,® Ansel," Helen," Huldah," 
Lovina," and Hannah." 

Hubbard'^ Fox (Daniel* Fox) was born May 
22, 1753; baptized June 24, 1753. His name 
appears on some of the records as " Hobart." 
He married Luna Perry, and lived in West 

48 



Stockbridge, Mass. He had children: Hub- 
bard" (m. Harriet Clark) ; Allen" (m. Polly Cole) ; 
Daniel" (m. Harriet A. Chapman and dwelt in 
Pitcher, N. Y.); Reuben" (m. Mira Smith and 
moved to Ruggles, Ohio) ; Laura" (m. David 
Raymond) ; Cordelia Lovina" (m. Moses Sackett) ; 
Luna" (m. Thomas Reed) ; and Sophronia" (m. 
Miles Rouse). 

Allen^ Fox, born July i, 1755; baptized, July 

13. 1755- 

Dimmis'^ Fox, born May 13, 1757; baptized, 

July 3, 1757. Married (i) Brown Chamberlain; 
had a son, John Brown Chamberlain. Her hus- 
band died in 1782, and she married (2) Daniel 
Brainard (see Brainard Genealogy). They had 
children: Daniel, born in Richmond, Mass., 
October 20, 1787, removed to Canandaigua, 
N. Y., in 1789; had, also, Hester, Electra, Jere- 
miah Gates, William, Charles, Franklin (died in 
Mexican war), George, and Selden. Daniel 
above mentioned married his second cousin, 
Marcia Fox of Buffalo, N. Y. ; Jeremiah Gates, 
his brother, married her sister Polly (or Mary). 
AnseP Fox (son of Daniel^ was bom February 
16, 1759, and baptized April 22, 1759. He was 
killed at the battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778, 
at the age of nineteen, " by a grape shot which 
struck him in the groin." The tombstone of his 
father in the old cemetery near Richmond 

49 



Furnace, Mass., bears an inscription to his 
memory also. By his second wife, Daniel* Fox 
had children: 

Jehiel,^ born August 21, 1762, and baptized 
September 26, 1762. He married Jerusha 
Baldwin. They had children: Alanson, Solymon 
B., Norman, Selina, and Sophia. [See pamphlet 
" Daniel Fox of East Haddam, Conn., and his 
Descendants." Albany, N. Y., 1890.] 

Leavitt,^ born September 10, 1764, and bap- 
tized October 14, 1764. He lived at Hoosick 
Falls, N. Y. 

Luna,^ born September 10, 1764; a twin of 
Leavitt; married Alger. 

Amasa,^ born February 14, 1767, and bap- 
tized April 5, 1767. Lived at Sackett's Harbor, 
N. Y., where he was one of the pioneer settlers 
in the town of Houndsfield. [See Hough's 
History of Jefferson County, N. Y.] 

Daniel,^ born July 27, 1769, and baptized 
August 27, 1769. He married Nancy Land on. 
First settled in New York state; then went to 
Chester, Va. Returned to New York and 
settled near Buffalo. Enlisted from Buffalo in 
the Ninth U. S. Infantry and died while in the 
army at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., June 10, 1815. 
He had children: Augustus Carlton (born 
March 11, 1792, at Westmoreland, Oneida 
county, N. Y.), Champion (served in the War of 

50 



i8i2). Betsey Landon (born January 8, i8oo,at 
Jamestown, Va. ; married (i) William Kennedy, 
married (2) at Buffalo, N. Y., October 10, 1827, 
William Parker Daniels; she died at Lockport, 
N. Y., November 27, 1787). Marcia (born at 
Chester, Ya., March 28, 1801; married, 1818, 
Daniel, son of Daniel and Dimmis Fox Brainard). 
Polly, or Mary (married Jeremiah Gates Brain- 
ard, brother of Daniel, just mentioned). Benja- 
min Franklin, Betsey Crane, Winthrop, Charles, 
and Chauncey. 

Orange^ born September 8, 1771, and baptized 
October 6, 1772. She married Jonathan Towns- 
end; resided near Watertown, Jefferson county, 
N. Y. 

Candace, born June 16, 1774; died at Canaan, 
Columbia county, N. Y., when eight years old. 

Gabriel Ely,^ named after a favorite family 
physician. There is no record of his birth or 
baptism on the books of the church at Millington, 
Conn., where the names of the thirteen other 
children appear. Gabriel lived one time' at 
Sackett's Harbor, Jefferson county, N. Y. 

Gabriel is authority for the statement that 
his father — Daniel Fox* of East Haddam, 
was born in New London Conn., and that 
while a boy went to East Haddam where, 
in accordance with the custom of those days 
he was apprenticed, to Lieutenant James 

51 



Cone of that place " to tan and shoe make.' 
Gabriel stated further that his father (Danie?) 
had two brothers, John and Isaac, one of whom 
went south and settled there. This statement, 
taken in connection with his age, makes it evi- 
dent that Daniel* Fox of East Haddam was the 
youngest child of Isaac,^ Samuel,^ Thomas* of 
Concord. 

The Foxes of East Haddam were all grouped 
in the same immediate neighborhood, east of 
Eight Mile River, south of Millington. The place 
is known to this day as Foxtown. Daniel* Fox 
when he bought land settled in the same neigh- 
borhood. His first purchase was on March 20, 
1752, when he bought twenty acres in Millington, 
" lying near the dwelling house of Jonathan 
Burr," the consideration being £300. Jonathan 
Burr was the father of Daniel Fox's first wife, 
Hannah Burr. 

Daniel* Fox bought and sold other lands. 
On March 29, 1775, he sold thirty acres for ;^ 150 
to Nathaniel Tiffany; and, on January 26, 1779, 
he sold for ,1^100 " lands and house " to Isaiah 
Rogers. ^ 

Hannah Burr Fox, wife of Daniel, joined the 
Congregational Church at Millington, Conn., 
April 19, 1752, by letter from Middletown, Conn., 
about five years after her marriage. Eight 
months or so after her death, April 12, 1761, 

52 



Daniel was baptized and he joined the same 
church at MilHngton. EHzabeth Gates Fox, 
Daniel's second wife, joined the church in Milling- 
ton, November lo, 1765; and, subsequently, 
both joined the First Church (Congregational) 
in East Haddam, March 10, 1766, by letter from 
MilHngton. 

The birth and baptismal records, however, 
of thirteen of Daniel Fox's children — all of them 
except Gabriel — are at Millington, even for six 
years after he joined the First Church. The 
villages of Millington and East Haddam are 
both in the town of Middlesex, and are about 
five miles apart. 

Daniel's sale of his house and farm to Isaiah 
Rogers, in 1779, was his last land transaction in 
East Haddam, so far as the records show. In 
that same year, with his second wife and her 
eight children — the other children being then 
in the army or married — he moved from East 
Haddam, and, making his way through the 
wilderness, crossed the Connecticut River in 
April and went to Canaan, Columbia county, 
N. Y. 

He had only his younger sons with him, as the 
older ones with patriotic unanimity had all 
enlisted in the War of the Revolution and were 
fighting in the ranks of the rebel army. His son 
Ansel, a lad of only nineteen years, had fallen 

53 



the year before on the battlefield of Monmouth, 
" killed by a grape shot which struck him in the 
groin " as described by his brother Gabriel in the 
conversation with Rev. Norman Fox, already 
mentioned. Hubbard fought at Monmouth also, 
and passed the winter at Valley Forge. Reuben, 
Allen, and Jehiel were soldiers also. Allen was 
mustered out in 1782, his parchment discharge, 
signed by General Washington and Adjutant- 
General Jonathan Trumbull, stating that he was 
entitled to the " Badge of Merit " for his long 
and meritorious service. 

Arriving at Canaan, N. Y., Daniel Fox located 
on some land situated about one mile east of 
Whiting's Pond, where he bought 170 acres and 
erected a " two-story house." In addition to 
farming he carried on the business of tanning and 
shoemaking. 

The country about Canaan was new and 
sparsely settled at this time. Among his few 
neighbors was Captain Hezekiah Baldwin, whose 
daughter, Jerusha, married Daniel Fox's son, 
Jehiel. Captain Baldwin lived nearly two miles 
west of Whiting's Pond, and owned a mill situ- 
ated a few rods from his house. Whiting's Pond 
took its name from Judge Whiting, a prominent 
citizen of the town. It is now known as Queechy 
Lake. 

54 



Elizabeth Gates, the second wife of Daniel Fox, 
died while the family was living in Canaan, 
Daniel married a third time, his third wife being 
a Widow Winslow, who left him after living with 
him a short time. One Sally Crittenden then 
kept house for him for about seven years, after 
which his daughter Luna — Luna Alger — who 
had previously been living at Hoosick with her 
brother Jehiel, assisted the old man as house- 
keeper for seven or eight years more. 

His second wife having been dead some four- 
teen or fifteen years, he broke up housekeeping 
in Canaan and went to Chester, Warren county, 
N. Y., where his son Jehiel was living. From 
Chester he went to West Stockbridge, Mass., 
the home of his son, Hubbard Fox, at whose 
house he died. He was buried in the cemetery 
near Richmond Furnace. His tombstone bears 
the following inscription: 

In memory of MR. DANIEL FOX 

who died July 28, 1801, 

in the 79th year of his age. 

Also ANSEL FOX 

who fell in Monmouth Battle 

June, 1778, aged 19 years. 

His daughter, Sibyl Rowley, was buried 
in the same plot, but lier tombstone is now 
nearly illegible. 



OD 



Daniel Fox seems to have been a man who 
had acquired considerable property, and was 
well-to-do as things went in those days. When 
his sons came home from the long, seven years' 
War of the Revolution he gave each of them 
thirty acres of land ; and to the younger boys he 
gave " their time " at nineteen years of age. 

For further information as to the descendants 
of Daniel see the pamphlet ' ' Daniel Fox of East 
Haddam, Conn., and Some of His Descendants," 
published in Albany, 1890, a copy of which will 
be found in the State Library at Albany, N. Y., 
and in the public libraries of the larger cities of 
the United States. 






56 



^ppmhxx 



SIjp laet totll anJi trfitampttt of OII|omafl ffoxf 

nf (ttonrnrJi, Mvlbs., 

anb of 

damufl 3Fox, I|tfl son, nf N^to 

iCaniian, CEIonn. 



5II|f JitU of ®l)oma0 Jox of donrorti, Mubb. 

^uh April 14, lfi5B 



I, Thomas Fox of Concord, in the county of 
Middlesex, in Massachusetts Colony, being feeble 
and weak in body but of sound mind and mem- 
ory, do make this my last will and testament in 
manner and form following: First, I commit 
and commend my soul unto the hands of the 
Lord, my God, submitting in the richness of His 
grace that he hath redeemed it by the precious 
blood of Christ Jesus ; that my body be decently 
buried, believing that though soul and body be 
separated for a time, yet they shall be united 
again at the resurrection of the just to reign 
with Christ in eternal glory ; and for the outward 
state which the Lord hath been gratified to give 
me, I for the present leave both house and lands, 
cattle and moveables, in the possession of my 
wife, Hannah, and my will is that she shall have 
and hold all imtil my eldest son, Eliphalet, shall 
arrive at the age of one and twenty years, and 
then in case my said son, Eliphalet, will then 
undertake the payment of five pounds to each 
of the rest of my children as they shall come to 

59 



the said age of one and twenty years, that then 
he shall have and enjoy two-thirds of the land 
and meadow, my said wife enjoying the said 
dwelling house and a third part of the barn and 
of the land during the term of her life except in 
the case, however, accepted, and after her de- 
cease then the other third part of the land, with 
the house and appurtenances to return to my 
said son, Eliphalet. But in case he shall refuse 
to pay the said portion to the rest of my chil- 
dren — to my daughter, Elizabeth, five pounds 
within one year after and to the rest at the day 
of one and twenty years — that then my said 
wife, Hannah, shall pay or cause to be paid by 
her executors and assigns to my said son, Eli- 
phalet, the sum of ten pounds within six months 
after the said refusal, and she shall have full 
power to dispose of the said house and lands to 
one or more of the rest of my sons as she shall 
think most meet; and he or they to whom 
they are disposed shall give to the rest of my chil- 
dren the said sum of five pounds apiece at the time 
and age aforesaid; also my will is that the said 
house and lands shall remain to one or more of 
said sons except those * * * Qf selling part 
of the land for the payment of said portions; 
and in case part be sold my will is that no part 
of the house lot from the said house, nor two 

60 



acres of land at the lower end, in Brickkilnfield, 
nor an acre and a half in Tompkins meadow 

beyond C field. But what other parts of 

the said land or meadow shall or they shall 
see cause to sell they have liberty and power so 
to do. Also my will is that in case my said son, 
Eliphalet, shall accept the said two-thirds of 
the land at the age of one and twenty years on 
the terms aforesaid that my said wife, Hannah, 
shall hold for her two-third part during her life, 
with the house and a third part of the barn, an 
acre of plow land usually called the hollow on 
the top of the hill behind the house, and all of 
the house lot below the house on the other side 
of the highway, and the said two acres in Brick- 
kilnfield and the two acres of meadow before 
excepted and six acres of new land adjoining to 
my house lot meadow. Also in case my said 
wife, Hannah, be married to another man and 
shall not live in the said house and land when 
the said Eliphalet shall be one and twenty years 
old that then in case he shall accept the land 
on the terms aforesaid he shall also enjoy the 
house and the whole house lot and the other 
parts before excepted, so giving to my said wife 
yearly during her life the third part of the 
yearly worth of the whole as it shall be judged 
to be worth by the year. Also in case my said 
wife, Hannah, dies before my said son, Eliph- 

6i 



let, come to the age aforesaid that then the 
overseers of this my will hereunder mentioned 
or their assigns for that purpose shall have 
power to * * * and dispose of things for 
the benefit of my said children as the said Han- 
nah hath in case she live, and my said son, Eli- 
phalet, refuse to accept the land on the terms 
aforesaid. Also the overseers shall have power 
to dispose of all of my children to trades and 
abroad as they shall see cause, only my said 
wife, Hannah, hath liberty to choose any one 
of them I had by her to continue with her. 
Also I appoint and constitute my said wife, 
Hannah, the executor of this my last will and 
testament for the payment of debts and over- 
seeing the estate in lands and chattels until my 
said son, Eliphalet, be at the said age ot one 
and twenty years, and the two-thirds of the 
land to come to him if he accept thereof as 
aforesaid, but otherwise to dispose of things as 
is before expressed, and whether she live till 
that time or not shall have when she dies full 
power to dispose of the chattels and moveables 
as she shall think best. Also I appoint and 
constitute my loving uncle, Thomas Brooks, 
my loving brethren, Moses Wheate and Thomas 
Bateman and my loving friend and neighbor, 
Robert Fletcher, the overseers of this my last 
will and testament. 

62 



In witness whereof I, the said Thomas Ffoxe, 
have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th 
day of January, 1657. 

Thomas ffoxe.* 

Witness whereof, 

EnWARD BULKLEY, 

Robert Fletcher. 
This was witnessed upon oath by those above 
written the 14: 10: 1658. 
Before me, 

Simon Willard. 

At a county court, held at Charlestown, June 
14, '58, Major Simon Willard was appointed by 
the court to take the attest and exhibit of the 
will of Thomas Ffoxe as attested. 

Thomas Danforth. 
Entered and recorded, 22: 10: '58 and '59, 
lib. I. 
As attest: 

THOMAS DANFORTH, Recorder. 



^ 



*With the signature there is a Coat of Arms 

63 



®I|? Will of ^amu^l ^nx of N^m ICnttbott, 
Ol0tt«., g>on of Sljomas 3^ox of 



In the name of God, amen, I, Samuel Fox, 
of New London, in the colon}^ of Connecticut, 
in New England, being in health and in perfect 
memory, but calling to mind the mortality of 
my body and that it is appointed for man once 
to die, and not knowing how soon my change 
may be and desiring that there may be peace 
left amongst those that I shall leave behind me, 
do now make this my last will and testament 
(hereby revoking all other wills made by me) 
in manner following: 

First, I bequeath my soul to God that gave 
it to me, nothing doubting, but at the great 
and last day my soul and body will be united 
and stand before my Judge with perfect hope 
of happiness to all eternity through the merits 
of my Saviour and dear Redeemer, our Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

Imprimis: My will is that my body be de- 
cently buried at the discretion of my executors 
hereafter named and appointed by me; and 
that my just debts and fimeral charges be first 

64 



paid out of my estate. I dispose of the remain- 
der of my estate, both real and personal, as fol- 
lows, viz. : 

I give unto my wife, Esther Fox, all the es- 
tate that she brought with her to me when I 
married her; I mean all that shall be left at my 
decease, she making it to appear to be such to 
the satisfaction of my executors, or either of 
them, and to have an honorable maintenance out 
of my estate during her widowhood in manner 
hereafter mentioned, my wife disclaiming any 
dower in my lands. 

I give unto my son, Samuel Fox the elder, 
my wearing apparel of all sorts which, with 
what he hath already received of me formerly 
and an equal share I by this my will give to my 
said son, Samuel Fox the elder, with others of 
my children hereafter described, which I judge is 
sufficient in consideration of his being my eldest 
son. 

I give and bequeath unto my younger son, 
Samuel Fox, all my ploughs and plough tack- 
ling, carts and cart wheels, with all chains and 
husbandry tools of any sort whatsoever. And 
my will is that all my lands in New London, in 
a place called the General Neck, be it called by 
what name or names soever, be first offered to 
my said son, Samuel Fox the younger, at the 
price that they shall be appraised by men as 

6s 



the law directs after my decease to be paid 
unto my executors by my son, Samuel Fox the 
yovmger, which money shall be disposed in 
among my children, as hereafter expressed. 
Always it is to be understood that I do not 
j^y * * * where I now live, to be prized 
to my son, Samuel Fox the younger, but only 
that part of it which is not given to him by a 
deed of gift under my hand and seal. And in 
case my said son, Samuel Fox the younger, do 
not see cause to take said lands as appraised in 
manner as aforesaid that my will is that I give 
said land above mentioned to be appraised to 
my other children — namely, Samuel Fox the 
elder, Isaac Fox, Benjamin Fox, my daughters, 
Elizabeth and Anna — to be equally divided 
amongst them, excepting to my son, Benjamin 
Fox, and he to have only half so much as any 
of the rest. Considering that the one-half, with 
what he hath already given him by me be his 
full shares or portion, to them and their heirs 
and assigns forever to be set out to my above said 
children b}' men chosen by Timothy Green, of 
New London, printer. My will is that out of 
my estate be given to the children of my daugh- 
ter-in-law, Bathshua Rogers (deceased), the sum 
of ten pounds money to be equally divided 
amongst them. I give imto my son-in-law, 
James Smith, the sum of forty pounds money. 

66 



I give unto my son-in-law, John Smith, the sum 
of twenty shilhngs which, with what I have 
given him already, I think to be sufficient for 
him. I give unto the children of my daughter- 
in-law, Elizabeth Camp (deceased), the sum of 
ten pounds, to be equally divided amongst them. 

I give unto my grand daughter, Elizabeth 
Platts, the sum of ten pounds money. 

My will is that if any of my children happen 
to fall in debt to me at my decease it shall be 
allowed as so much of their portion, and if any 
of them are more in debt than their parts will 
come to the overplus to be paid to my execu- 
tors. 

My will is that Timothy Green and my eldest 
son, Samuel Fox, be the executors of this, my 
last will and testament, and that they be honor- 
ably allowed out of my estate for their care and 
trouble about the same. Also I do appoint 
Timothy Green one of my executors to take 
care of my wife, Esther Fox, and see that she 
hath an honorable maintenance out of my es- 
tate during her widowhood, and I do give unto 
my executor, Timothy Green, full power to 
keep so much of my estate in his hands as he 
may judge needful for her subsistence and his 
trouble about the same during her widowhood, 
and at her decease all my estate to be equally 
divided among my children as above said. 

67 



And I do appoint my said executor, Timothy 
Green, to set out to my eldest son, Samuel Fox, 
his part of my estate here given to him as equally 
as he can in his judgment think right, and I do 
appoint my executors to set out and make a 
division of my estate to the rest of my children. 

And I do declare this instrument (written on 
the other side of this paper) to be my last will 
and testament. 

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 
hand and seal this 6th day of April, in the thir- 
teenth year of the reign of King George and in 
the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hun- 
dred and tw^enty-seven. 

SAMUEL FOX. 

vSigned, sealed, pronounced and declared by 
the aforesaid Samuel Fox, the testator, to be 
his last will and testament in presence of us. 

John Adams, 
Joshua Plumbe, 
BoRADELL Latimer. 

The above appeared before a court of probate 
held in New London, September 6, 1727, and 
made solemn oath that they saw the above- 
named testator sign and seal the above and on 
the other written testament, and heard him pro- 
nounce and declare the same to be his last will 
and testament, and that he the said testator was 
then of a sound and disposing mind and mem- 

68 



ory according to the best deponent's judgments 
and that they did together set their hands 
thereto as witnesses in the presence of the said 
testator. 

Test.: Richard Christopher, 

Clerk. 

Recorded in book 5 of wills for county of New 
London, folio 219-220, September 13, 1727. 

Copied in Book C, New London probate rec- 
ords, pages 233, 234, 235. 

Amount of inventory of estate, ;^2,28o, iis, 
5id. 



M 



69 



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